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JACK JINGLING IN JUNGLELAND 



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JACK JINGLING IN JUNGLELAND 


By 

E. HUGH SHERWOOD 



RAND McNALLY & COMPANY 
CHICAGO ILLINOIS 


Copyright, iQi8 

By Rand McNally & Company 




AUG IS 1918 




THE CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The Illustrations 8 

The Coming of the Circus 11 

JUNGLELAND 16 

Collecting a Menagerie 24 

Three Exciting Captures 30 

Fleet-footed Followers 42 

The Rhinoceros 49 

The Hippopotamus 56 

An Elephant Hunt 64 

The Menagerie at Home 73 


7 


THE ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

*'But mind, you must not drive her off a walk'* 13 

It rubbed its velvety nose against his cheek 17 

Through strange lands and past queer little villages they sped 19 

Mr. Rich brought out his lantern and made a closer examination. '' Where* d ye 

get the beast?** he asked again 21 

He ran and dodged until the marshal was quite out of 'breath 22 

He dropped to his knees, making signs of friendship 27 

When they saw the lion, the natives were terrified. They fled to their grass huts 

and barricaded the doors 28 

Jack drew his bow and let fly one of the heart-shaped arrows 31 

Once when he awoke. Jack saw two great eyes staring out of the darkness . . .35 

Half a mile distant he was shown a small black object 37 

The angry beast began slashing and ripping away at the tree 38 

The gnu dropped to its knees, and with horns upturned, reared upward ... 43 

Two gazelles in the near-by brush leaped out just ahead of him, and Zebie dashed 

in pursuit 45 

As Jack slipped from Zebie* s back he let fly an arrow 47 

Jack saw the rhino standing in the open plain near some scattered trees . . .51 

The rhino led the way into a piece of low, marshy ground surrounding a pool . . 53 

8 


THE ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued 


PAGE 


After looking at his tormentors a moment, the rhinoceros charged them once more 54 

It was a strange procession that wound through the forest 57 

As Jack shot his magic dart the python lashed out at him with open jaws ... 59 

The hippopotamuses gamboled about in an awkward yet most amusing manner 62 
Great footprints showed that the hunters had crossed the trail of a herd of elephants 65 
Jack rushed up on Zebie and planted an arrow in the elephant's side .... 67 

Across the area. Jack saw the elephants — his elephants! 69 

Jack met his enemy face to face . . « 71 

“ But they are my animals and I won't let them hurt anybody" 75 

We'll get together the finest circus that ever was — Jack Jingling' s Mammoth 
Menagerie" • y 79 


9 




JACK JINGLING IN JUNGLELAND 

THE COMING OF THE CIRCUS 


A CIRCUS was coming to town. The 
billboards had pictured its wonders for 
a week, and every day of the whole seven 
little Jack Jingling had stood spellbound 
before its marvels. Jack was a great lover 
of animals, so he looked longest at the 
menagerie pictures. There were bears from 
every bear country, some snow white, some 
black, and some brown; huge elephants 
going through seemingly impossible con- 
tortions; queer, funny-faced monkeys on 
a trapeze doing aerial feats which were 
astonishingly like the performances of their 
larger brothers, the human acrobats. There 
were birds, and alligators, and writhing 


snakes, and countless other animals of 
which Jack had never even heard. 

But one day, after Jack had spent two 
absorbing hours gazing at the billboard 
sights, he suddenly began to wonder how 
he was going to see this marvelous circus. 
He had no money. His parents were 
poor, and could not afford to buy tickets 
for him and his brothers and sisters, who 
would certainly wish to go if he went. 
The only thing to do was to earn the 
money himself. 

Having made up his mind, he started 
out at once to look for work. But the 
people of the village where Jack lived 


11 


were industrious and thrifty; they didn’t 
leave any odd jobs around for a boy to 
do. First to one place and then to an- 
other Jack went, until there was just one 
more place to go. That was to Mr. 
Rich’s. Mr. Rich was the wealthiest man 
in the village, but he had such a crusty 
temper, and such an abrupt manner, that 
it was with no small fear that our little 
Jack approached his fine residence, with 
its trim lawns and gravel walks. 

Mrs. Rich herself opened the door. 
She was a very stout, ruddy-faced lady. 

“Is Mr. Rich at home?’’ asked Jack. 

“Mr. Rich? Mr. Rich is out at the 
barn,’’ said Mrs. Rich. “You go right 
on out there, but don’t let the chickens 
out, and be sure to close the gate.’’ 

Mr. Rich looked Jack over carefully 
when he asked for work. “What do you 
intend to do with the money if I give 
you work?’’ he asked. 


“I want to go to the circus,’’ replied 
Jack. 

“So it’s preferred stock in a circus,, 
hey? Nonsense! And a waste of money,’’ 
quoth Mr. Rich.. “But I am looking for 
a boy to drive my cow to pasture each 
morning and bring her home in the eve- 
ning; and I will pay a good boy fifty 
cents a month. But mind, you must not 
drive her off a walk. This running cows 
ruins their milk.’’ 

“I’d be careful,’’ Jack promised. 

“Well then, come to-morrow morning.’’ 

Jack was delighted. He dreamed of 
the circus constantly. Not a day passed 
that he did not go and review the bill- 
boards, and as the eventful week drew 
near he counted the very hours. The 
time passed none too quickly; but at last 
the great day arrived. Jack was up 
bright and early and down at the grounds 
watching the huge gilded wagons as they 


were unloaded from the cars, and the 
beautiful, intelligent horses pulling them 
with the greatest ease. What wonderful 
strength they seemed to have! 

But never a glimpse of the wild ani- 
mals did he have, for their wagons were 
tightly closed. 

After seeing the great tent put up. Jack 
began to think of his ticket. The time had 
come to collect his fifty cents, and he 
decided to go to Mr. Rich and ask for it. 

Mr. Rich scratched his nose and began 
figuring to himself. At last he told Jack 
to follow him. He led the way to the 
barn and pointed to a date marked on 
one of the granary doors. “Young man,” 
he said, “your month is not up for four 
days; your money is not due. Come in 
four days and your money will be ready.” 

Jack explained about the circus, but 
Mr. Rich was obstinate. “Business is busi- 
ness,” he said shortly. 


13 


r > 



“Bm/ mind, you must not drive her off a walk" 



14 


Poor little Jack! All his hope of see- 
ing the circus swept away by just a few 
words! Slowly he trudged to the field 
behind his house, and flinging himself on 
the grass, he wept as if his heart would 
break. With such a disappointment life 
was not worth living! 

In the midst of his sobs some one touched 
him on the shoulder, saying, ‘‘Come, come, 
little man, why this grief?” 

Jack turned his head, and glancing up, 
looked into the most wondrous face he 
had ever seen. There stood a lady with 
bright, sparkling eyes, a smiling mouth, 
and long, flowing golden hair. 

“Are you a performer from the circus?” 
asked the astonished Jack, his eyes staring 
unbelievingly. 

“Bless you, no! I’m a fairy,” said the 
little lady, with a merry laugh. 

“A fairy! A real fairy?” asked Jack 
in an awed whisper. 


“A real fairy/’ she answered. Her 
eyes were twinkling, but she seemed so 
kind and sympathetic Jack soon found 
himself telling her all about his disappoint- 
ment; how much he loved animals, and 
how he wished to see the circus menagerie. 

'‘Don’t feel bad over such trifling 
things, my little man,” said the fairy. “At 
best, the things you see to-day can be 
but memories to-morrow. But here,” she 
added, “is something that will give you 
pleasure always.” 



15 


She handed him a small bow and a 
quiver of queer little arrows. Instead of 
darts or barbs, on the tip of each arrow 
was a small red heart. “This little heart,” 
the fairy explained, “will remain in any 
animal it touches, and make it your 
obedient servant, subject to your every 
command. Come, close your eyes tight,” 
she added, smiling and waving her wand, 
“and we shall very soon see just how it 
works.” 


JUNGLELAND 


TT7HEN Jack opened his eyes again, he 
^ ^ found himself in a wide, rolling plain 
covered with short, thick grass. At his feet 
wild sweet peas were blossoming; near by 
were some small bushes with flowers like 
morning-glories, but as far as Jack could 
see there was not a house, and only here 
and there a thorny tree. 

“Where — where am I?” Jack gasped. 

“In Africa, in Jungleland,” replied 
the fairy. “Look,” she commanded, and 
following the direction of her wand, Jack 
saw a herd of zebras — little beauties with 
black and white stripes, and such nimble 
looking legs, and sturdy bodies! 

At a nod from the fairy he started 
toward them — and then followed a won- 
derful few moments for Jack! 


Nearer and nearer he went, scarcely 
breathing for fear of frightening the alert 
little creatures; yet they did not seem 
very shy. He carefully peeped through 
an opening in the bushes. How near he 
was to them! But now they began moving 
away slowly, and Jack raised his bow, with 
the arrow carefully placed, drew back the 
string, took careful aim, and released the 
arrow with a twang. 

The zebras were off like a flash! “Qua- 
ha-ha, qua-ha-ha,” they barked, and their 
shrill voices sounded to Jack for all the 
world like those of a pack of dogs. Jack 
could not understand. He was so sure 
of his aim, and he had been so near! 

The fairy came to him. “Let us follow 
them,” she said. “You may have shot 


16 


true, but you gave no command, so the his cheek and seemed to be as glad to see 

branded zebra ran away with the others.” him as if he were an old friend. 

As they reached the crest of a little “Now I must leave you,” said the 



and walked toward them. Coming close happy she had made him, she was gone! 
to him, it rubbed its velvety nose against ^^hen Jack turned to his zebra and 


2 


17 


tried to mount it, but jump as he might, 
he could not gain its back! At last he 
remembered the fairy’s words. “Kneel,” 
he commanded, and the zebra knelt until 
Jack was seated. 

What a sensation his capture would 
make at home, thought Jack. How the 
other children would look with unbelief 
and wonder! But which way was he to 
start to get home? He didn’t even know 
east from west or north from south. He 
was much troubled. But perhaps Zebie 
would know. So he patted the zebra on 
the back and cried, “Take me home, 
Zebie, take me home!” 

At once Zebie was away with a bound. 
Such speed! And how the air whistled 
by! And the joy of it all! He could 
feel the muscles of the little animal as 
they plied beneath him. Zebie seemed 
scarcely to touch the ground. Through 
strange lands, past queer little villages, 


18 


over steep mountains they .sped, and at 
last came to the shore of the great ocean. 
Then, as they reached its very brink, with 
a mighty spring they were in the air, 
soaring over the blue-green depths to the 
far distant shore. 

The landscape now began to look more 
familiar, and at last Jack recognized places 
and knew he was approaching home. 
In another instant his own village came 
into view, and just at dusk he dismounted 
at his own back gate. Turning Zebie 
loose on the common, and bidding him 
not to go beyond call. Jack ran to get 
him some water. But as the zebra had 
never drunk from a bucket, at first he 
did not understand what to do. After 
tasting gingerly, however, he drank three 
bucketsful, and then began to eat grass 
ravenously. 

Jack hurried indoors. “Where in the* 
world have you been?” asked his mother. 



Through strange lands and past queer little villages they sped 19 


“It’s late, and you haven’t driven home 
Mr. Rich’s cow. Hurry along, or he’ll 
be cross.” 

So Jack went out again, mounted 
Zebie, and in a twinkling was at the pas- 
ture and had Mr. Rich’s cow ambling 
along toward home. Mr. Rich was lean- 
ing on the gate, anxiously watching, and 
scarcely waited until Jack came within 
hearing before he began to scold him. But 
when Jack was close enough so Mr. Rich 
could see his strange mount, the crabbed 
old man stood speechless with surprise. 
He stared at the two for a long time. 

“Where did you get that painted pony?” 
he gasped at last. 

“It isn’t painted,” answered Jack, 
looking at Zebie proudly. “Those stripes 
are natural. This animal is a zebra and 
those stripes are his own.” 

“Nonsense! Nonsense!” said Mr. Rich. 
“There isn’t any sech animal.” Going 


20 


into the barn, he brought out his lan- 
tern and made a closer examination. The 
stripes were natural, to be sure, but he 
“never before had laid eyes on sech a critter 
in all his born days.” 

“ Where ’d ye get the beast?” he asked 
again. 

“ In Jungleland,” answered Jack. “By 
the help of a good fairy.” But this 
brought only a grunt of contempt from 
Mr. Rich. 

“Jungleland! Hm! Where’s Jungle- 
land?” he muttered, and shaking his 
head went off to the house. 

When Jack reached home he turned 
Zebie out to pasture, and hid his bow and 
arrows under the woodshed. Then he went 
in to his supper. This time he was severely 
scolded for being so late; but he didn’t 
mind a scolding to-night. The day had 
held such wonders no ordinary occurrence 
was worth noticing. 



Mr. Rich brought out his lantern and made a closer examination. “ Where *d ye get the beast?” he asked again 


He could scarcely wait to tell his 
brothers and sisters of his marvelous 
adventure; and after he had told them 
he could n’t understand why they looked 
at him so strangely until his father said it 
was wrong for little boys to tell stories. 
They did n’t believe him! Nobody seemed 
to believe he had been in Jungleland I That 
was why they looked at him so queerly. 


“Well,” he said, “wait until morning, 
and I will show you Zebie.” 

Little Jack did not sleep much that 
night. His mind was so overflowing with 
the happenings of the day, and with plans 
for the morrow, sleep would not come. He 
was up at dawn — but not before his sisters 
and brothers, who were curious enough, 
now, about what Jack had told them. 

\ 


21 



He ran and dodged until the marshal was quite out of breath 


Out they all rushed to the common. 
There a number of the villagers were 
already standing about, talking excitedly. 
In their midst stood Zebie, quietly eating 
grass. 

“It’s one of the animals from the 


circus,” a neighbor was saying. “They 
must have left it when they went out of 
town last night.” Everybody seemed to 
think this a plausible reason for its being 
there, and when Jack said it was his zebra, 
they all scoffed. They sent for the village 


22 


marshal to take charge of the animal' 
until the circus people could come for it. 

Poor little Jack began to feel rather 
anxious when the marshal approached with 
a rope to lead Zebie away. But Zebie 
was not to be taken so easily. He ran 
and dodged until the marshal was quite 
out of breath and equally out of temper. 
All the villagers who had gathered around 
were now running after him, but he could 
not be caught. Jack was greatly amused 
to see how easily he baffled them, and after 
watching the chase a few moments, went 


to his breakfast, sure his new pet was safe. 

After breakfast he got his bow and 
arrows and returned to the common. By 
this time the mayor and half the people 
of the village were running frantically 
around the field, pufflng and angry, after 
poor little Zebie. 

Jack called to him, and even amid all 
the shouting he heard Jack’s voice and came 
toward him. He knelt a moment for Jack 
to mount, and, presto! they were galloping 
off, leaving the villagers looking after them 
with mouths agape m wonder. 




23 


COLLECTING A MENAGERIE 


J ACK’S ambition was to collect a menagerie, but as he 
did not know the haunts of the wild animals, he decided 
again to trust to Zebie’s guidance. “Take me to Jungleland, 
to the dwelling place of lions and elephants,’’ he cried. 
But as they sped along. Jack began wondering what might 
happen if he were to meet a lion face to face, and should 
shoot, and his arrow and heart should fail him. He decided 
to ask the natives of the country what was the safest way 
to approach lions and other dangerous animals. 


On they galloped. The trees began to 
look strange. There were kinds Jack had 
never seen before, and in the distance 
queer little grass huts could be seen. As 
he drew closer, he could make out strange, 
half-naked black men moving around, and 
he began thinking of cannibals, and of 
his danger if captured. But as he gripped 
his magic bow he was reassured, and when 
Zebie finally approached a little village 
he rode bravely up to the largest and 
most pretentious of the low grass houses. 

In front of the hut sat a grizzled old 
colored man, with but very little clothing, 
the most noticeable part of what he had on 
being a silk hat which rested jauntily on his 
kinky topknot — all that was left to tell the 
story of some poor missionary or traveler 
who never returned to his native land. At 
Jack’s appearance the old savage raised a 
long spear, but Jack took no chances as 
to his intentions, whether friendly or other- 


25 


wise. A quick, careful aim, and an arrow 
went singing straight toward the black 
man. At once the crimson brand appeared 
upon his breast, and he dropped to his 
knees, making signs of friendship. Then he 
noticed the red heart on his breast and 
tried to remove it. It puzzled him at first 
to find it would not come off, but the more 
he looked at it the more he liked it, and 
finally he laughed and turned to Jack, 
very proud of his new decoration. 

By this time the natives had come 
crowding about them, looking at Jack in 
astonishment and talking to each other 
in great excitement. Strangely enough, 
although they spoke in their own language. 
Jack understood them perfectly. 

Then Jack asked the king — for such the 
old man proved to be — the ways of hunting 
lions, and said he wished to capture a few. 

“If my master intends hunting alone,’’ 
answered the old king, “the safest way 


would be to take a young goat or kid, 
tie it to a tree, then climb the tree and 
wait for the cries of the kid to attract 
the game. When the animal approaches 
it can be fired upon with safety. I myself 
have a goat which my master shall use. 
If my master will deign to remain as my 
guest for the evening meal, later we may 
hunt the lion.” 

After a meal of meat and rice, a kid was 
brought, and the natives started out with 
Jack to a wooded hill near by. After 
the kid was tied to the tree and Jack was 
perched securely in the top, he sent the 
natives back to their village, so there need 
be no unnecessary risk. His wait was short. 
As the bleating of the goat continued, he 
heard stealthy sounds, growing plainer as 
his prey crept closer. At first the noises 
were so faint Jack seemed to feel them 
instinctively rather than hear them. Then 
there was the unmistakable snapping of a 


twig and the slight rustle of foliage as 
the beast came through. 

Jack’s heart seemed almost to stop beat- 
ing as he strained his eyes in the direction 
from which the animal seemed to be coming. 
He thought he could see a patch of yellow 
moving against the green. Then a pair of 
glaring eyes appeared, with a patch of red 
beneath, out of which shone great, white, 
hungry-looking teeth. 

The goat at the bottom of the tree 
sensed its danger, and made a frantic effort 
to free itself. The beast made a stealthy 
rush forward, then crouched to spring, and 
Jack thought for a second that it was all 
over for the poor little goat. But this 
pause was his chance, and he shot his arrow. 
The crimson heart blazed out on the lion’s 
shoulder, and as it grew bigger and bigger 
the ferocious beast seemed to be trans- 
formed. He was no longer a slinking 
man-killer: he walked out in the open with 








much the same manner as a great pet dog. 
Jack was half afraid when the great beast 
came close to him and licked his hand, 
but when he looked into its shining brown 
eyes he knew there was nothing to fear. 
He patted the tawny head, and the lion 
rubbed up against him just as did his 
own little dog at home. Then he untied 
the kid, which scampered on ahead, and 
set out with the lion for the native village. 

When they saw the lion, the natives were 
terrified. They fled to their grass huts and 
barricaded the doors. Once in a while Jack 
could see one peeping out, viewing the 
strange sight. Jack called to them that 


28 


they were in no danger, but they were too 
frightened to come out. Then he went to 
the king’s hut and bade him tell his people 
the lion would not hurt them. So the king 
sent out messengers through the village, 
and, after much reassurance, one by one 
the natives cautiously returned. 

In the meantime the king showed Jack 
to a little hut where he might spend the 
night. Bidding the lion lie outside the 
door. Jack soon went to rest. 

Early next morning he and his lion were 
surrounded by wondering Africans, while he 
explained to the king how he had secured 
the animal, and his wish to collect specimens 
of all the wild inhabitants of the earth. 

The natives gazed at him in amazement, 
but as he talked they became more and 
more interested, and soon their enthusiasm 


was unbounded. They offered to help him 
in any way they could, and eagerly began 
explaining the habits of the different ani- 
mals, where to find them, and when it was 
best to hunt them. They all talked at 
once, and finally became so excited that the 
king waved his spear and sent them all away. 

First of all. Jack wished to capture a 
giraffe. The beautiful creature he had 
seen pictured on the circus poster, tower- 
ing eighteen feet high, had fascinated him 
almost as much as the dangerous lions. 
The king explained that the giraffe was 
not a jungle animal, but lived on the 
plains or in the more open forest. He 
offered to send a party of native guides 
with Jack, arid after a little discussion it 
was decided that they should set out in 
search of the giraffe the following morning. 




29 


THREE EXCITING CAPTURES 


'T'HE next morning at daylight Jack 
started out with a retinue of natives 
which the king had chosen for him. For 
several days they traveled through dense 
forests and over sandy wastes without 
succeeding in capturing a giraffe. Although 
they frequently sighted herds of the great 
beasts, they were always too far away for 
Jack to shoot at them. One morning, 
however, as he scanned the open country, 
he saw fifteen or twenty of the tall 
animals quietly browsing with their heads 
among the branches of some thinly scat- 
tered thorn trees, about three quarters of 
a mile away. 

Jack had learned that the giraffe 
depends for its safety upon its remarkable 
eyesight as much as upon its fleetness of 


foot, and he knew it was almost useless 
to try to approach within shooting range 
unseen. He was wondering how to over- 
come this difficulty when the chief of his 
guides explained the method used by the 
white hunters who occasionally penetrated 
these regions. 

After riding up as close as possible to 
the giraffes without arousing their suspicion, 
the hunters pressed their horses to their 
utmost speed, and after a hot chase, if 
their mounts were swift and enduring, a 
giraffe could be captured. 

Jack singled out a handsome specimen 
browsing near the edge of the clump of 
trees and, mounting Zebie, dashed into 
the open. Almost immediately the wary 
creatures noticed his approach and started 


30 



Jack drew his bow and lei fly one of the heart-shaped arrows 


off with a long, easy, swinging pace. But 
it was not long before Zebie began to gain 
upon them, and seeing that they were 
being overtaken, they broke into an awk- 
ward gallop that would soon have over- 
taxed an ordinary horse, covering the 
ground at an astonishing speed. Their tails 


were twisted and cocked up over their 
backs, and their huge hind legs reached 
so far forward that all four feet seemed 
nearly in line. 

Jack fairly trembled with excitement! 
Zebie’s small, twinkling feet and dainty gait 
formed a strange contrast to the rocking 


31 


movement of the big, stiff-legged giraffes, 
but the little steed gained steadily, and 
finally Jack found himself racing close 
behind the enormous creatures. He drew 
his bow and let fly one of the heart-shaped 
arrows. The red brand appeared on a 
giraffe’s flank, and the animal stopped in 
a daze. For a moment it looked after its 
fleeing companions, and then, apparently 
without fear, approached its captor. 

The chase had carried Jack a mile or 
two into the open, rolling country, and 
he had lost his bearings. He wandered 
about for an hour or more, and Anally, 
following a course that seemed right, met 
the excited natives coming to search for 
him and inspect his prize. 

It was now becoming dusk. The sun 
was setting, and it was decided to pitch 
camp for the night by a water hole near 
by. As they marched toward the water 
hole, the natives started a weird, wild 


chant, sometimes singing together, some- 
times answering each other back and 
forth and joining in a humming chorus. 
As they neared the camping place, three 
or four began blowing antelope horns 
and whistles. 

Small fires were soon burning, and 
preparations for the evening meal were 
under way when a movement was heard 
among the branches overhead. Looking 
up. Jack saw the blazing eyes of one of 
the fiercest and most dreaded animals to 
be encountered in the African wilds. A 
leopard, roused by the noise, was crouching 
on one of the lower limbs, where he 
had chosen to sleep. The smoke from 
the fire had irritated the beast so that 
he had lost all caution. Back and forth 
he moved, snarling and spitting like a 
huge cat, as indeed he was. He could 
have broken the spine of a native with a 
single grip of his jaw; an ox he would 


have strangled in a short time; and even 
now his 'impulse was to spring upon his 
enemies. Only fear of fire prevented his 
doing so. The natives drew back in terror, 
but Jack, knowing now the full power of 
the darts the fairy had given him, snatched 
up his bow and aimed at the leopard. The 
dart went true. Tame as a kitten, the 




leopard leaped to the ground, purring 
and rolling playfully about Jack’s feet, 
while the blacks looked on in wonder. 
They thought Jack must be one of 
their gods who had come to dwell with 
them a while. 

Just at this moment the giraffe came 


3 


33 


ambling toward them, and Jack glanced 
around uneasily, wondering what would 
happen when the giraffe and the leopard 
saw each other. The fairy had given him 
no instructions about that. The darts, 
however, seemed to have destroyed all 
their ferocity and natural hatred, and the 
leopard purred on at Jack’s feet while 
the giraffe bent his long neck and rubbed 
his nose on Jack’s cheek. 

The night passed quietly. At intervals 
the distant roaring of a lion could be 
heard, or the flutterings of bats or disturbed 
birds. Once when he awoke, Jack saw 
two great eyes staring out of the darkness, 
the reflected light of the camp fire illumi- 
nating them until they shone like green 
flames; but the party was not troubled. 

By daylight the camp was astir again. 
The guides were up and about long before 
Jack awakened, and were roasting a small 
pig-like animal which they had captured 


34 


and were preparing especially for Jack’s 
breakfast. They assured him the tender, 
juicy meat was a great delicacy. 

The big game that Jack wished to 
add to his growing menagerie roamed over 
the rolling, prairie-like land that swept 
away in ridges and gulleys from the 
wooded foothill country where the party 
was now camping. Before him lay the 
common hunting and feeding ground of 
the antelope, hartebeest, hunting leopard, 
rhinoceros, koodoo, and wart hog. Here 
also came the giraffe, for after the rainy 
season the grass and the foliage on the 
clumps of brush grew luxuriantly. Lions 
too came into this country, following in 
the wake of the other animals upon which 
they preyed. 

New arrangements had to be made 
before continuing the hunt, for Jack 
realized it would be impossible to take 
with him all the animals he had captured. 



ItiABfinLv TiVi 



Hi V '>'1 


nV. |{■* 



KiHr^SI 

W^i !i m 

{■AISIH 



Once when he awoke, Jack saw two great eyes staring out of the darkness 


35 




A central camp was therefore established, 
where all additional animals could be 
brought. An argument now started among 
the natives as to who should go with Jack, 
and who should remain in camp. This 
soon developed into a quarrel, fast becom- 
ing so serious that Jack had to interfere 
and decide the matter by drawing lots. 

A fence of thorn branches was soon 
completed, and with the rising sun the 
following morning the little party again 
started out. Jack took the lead, riding 
Zebie. The natives, carrying water, food, 
and other supplies, trailed along behind, 
single file. Jack was much disappointed 
to find that he would have to leave his 
giraffe, or Slim, as he had named him. 
His remarkable speed would have made 
him valuable in riding down other animals, 
but in that open country his great height 
made him easily visible, while the scrub 
brush that grew scatteringly here and there, 


36 


though low, was often high enough to 
conceal Zebie and the others of the party. 

Although the start had been made 
early, the sun was soon burning down 
upon them with terrific heat. The change 
from the cool night to the heat of the 
day was decidedly unpleasant. Jack guided 
Zebie into every spot of shade to be found. 
Noon came, and no game had been 
sighted, although during the last half 
hour Zebie had stopped once or twice and 
thrown up his head, nervously sniffing the 
air. Not long after this they came upon 
a water hole, around which were numerous 
tracks. Here they pitched a temporary 
camp, where they rested until the middle 
of the afternoon. Then the hunt was on 
again. 

In the wooded districts above the foot- 
hills the natives had hunted close together, 
but here in the more open country they 
spread out for a mile or two, searching 



Half a mile distant he was shown a small black object 


for fresh tracks. Jack, being mounted, 
was able to cover a wide territory, but it 
was from one of the natives that, toward 
evening, he received the little smoke sig- 
nal telling him game had been discovered. 


When he rode up he found the natives 
gathering from all directions to the top 
of a ridge. Half a mile distant he was 
shown a small black object, too far 
away as yet for him to tell what it 


37 



The angry beast began slashing and ripping away at the tree 




38 


was — though the natives seemed highly 
pleased over it. Jack felt a sense of dis- 
appointment. He had expected to see a 
rhinoceros — or perhaps another lion. The 
chase promised to afford little excitement. 
Half an hour later, however, he was hav- 
ing one of the most thrilling moments in 
all his adventures. 

From the ridge the natives spread out, 
encircling the animal, and gradually draw- 
ing in about it closer and closer until 
they were within a hundred yards of it. 
Suddenly it stopped grazing, threw up its 


head, swung about with a grunt, and 
located its enemy. And then Jack saw 
that the beast was a wart hog. 

Jack had read of the wild-boar hunts 
kings engaged in during olden times, and 
now he vaguely wondered if he were 
about to take part in as exciting a chase 
as theirs; for the wart hog had all the 
outward appearance of the boar — low 
behind, the shoulders and head enormous, 
and two huge tusks rising from either side 
of its head. Jack thought it the ugliest, 
most ferocious looking beast he had ever 
seen. 

When the wart hog saw Jack, how- 
ever, it turned and fled! Jack was dis- 
gusted. This was no king’s sport. But 
the next instant the yells of the natives 
in front had sent the wart hog in another 
direction. Back and forth it rushed, and 
on every hand it found these dancing, 
howling blacks. Enraged, it turned and 


charged on two of them with a speed 
astonishing for its size. Jack held his 
breath. The two natives, gray with fright, 
swung one after the other into a near-by 
scrub tree scarcely large enough to bear 
the weight of one. The angry beast began 
slashing and ripping away at the tree, 
with such effect that Jack saw it would 
soon fall and throw the natives to the 
mercy of the wart hog. 

He had no chance to draw his arrows. 
He barely had time to rush up and draw 
the animal’s attention to himself. The 
wart hog spared not a second. It charged 
on Zebie so ^quickly that even that agile 
little steed was unable to avoid its sharp 
white tusks, and it drew a clean red line 
across the zebra’s legs. 

Leaping, rearing, whirling, Zebie dashed 
about, trying to evade the rapid charges. 
Again and again he barely escaped the cruel, 
flashing tusks, but at last his nimble legs 


39 



brought him away in safety. Fifty yards 
apart they stood, both keenly alert. Jack 
felt the need of caution. He made his 
arrow ready, then urged Zebie forward 
slowly. For a time the wart hog stood 
rigid. Then, without a sound of warning, 
it dashed straight ahead, meeting the arrow 
as it flew. The natives sent up a howl 
of delight. 

The arrow had the usual effect on the 
wart hog, and it immediately lost all signs 
of fight and became as gentle as 
one of Mr. Rich’s hogs at home. 

As the party gathered together. 


40 


I 


Jack decided he had had quite enough for 
one day. Perspiration was running down 
his face and neck in little rivers, and his 
clothes were saturated through and through. 
Zebie’s wounds, too, needed attention. 

They made a temporary camp about a 
mile from the water hole. Jack thought 


this best for two reasons. It brought the 
camp close enough to the water, yet far 
enough away so that the wild animals 
would still come to drink. A long, high 
ridge intervening, also cut off a view of 
the camp from that point. Altogether, 
the camp seemed ideally situated. 



41 


FLEET-FOOTED FOLLOWERS 


TDY sunrise the following morning all 
were ready to start out again. Zebie’s 
wound was slight and caused no great 
inconvenience. First of all an examina- 
tion of the ground around the water hole 
was made, and the soft earth soon showed 
fresh tracks, made during the night or 
shortly before their arrival. Small hoof 
prints like those of an antelope, and others, 
larger though similar, led to and from the 
water. Following the general course of 
the larger prints, the party set out. As 
they advanced, the trail gradually grew 
less distinct, finally disappearing alto- 
gether; but they continued, over ridges and 
through gulleys, thinking as they reached 
the top of each ridge that they would be 
able to see the object of their hunt. 


The natives said the tracks were those 
of a gnu. Jack had never heard of a gnu. 
The great colored circus posters had shown 
no such animal, and his curiosity was there- 
fore all the greater. 

“What’s a gnu like?’’ he asked. But 
the descriptions given by the natives were 
so varied he could not picture the animal 
in his mind. A creature with the head of 
a buffalo, the body of a horse, and the 
legs of a deer seemed not only unreal but 
so amusing that Jack laughed and laughed 
— yet such indeed the beast proved to be, 
when, three hours later, they suddenly 
found themselves in sight of it. 

The gnu, grazing just over the top of 
the ridge, had seen the party, so Jack 
had his first glimpse of the animal while 


42 



/ 


43 


The gnu dropped to its knees, and with horns upturned, reared upward 


it -was in full flight. As the natives were 
unmounted, the chase was left to Jack 
and Zebie. Hitherto the natives had been 
able to surround their game and drive 
it in toward Jack, but now a capture 
rested entirely on Zebie’s fleetness and 
endurance. He needed no urging. He 
sped across the country as he had never 
done before, on and on, leaping nimbly 
over grass clumps and underbrush, now 
and then dodging a small tree or one 
of the many holes that made travel over 
that ground so dangerous. 

For miles they raced along at this 
break-neck speed, dashing up slopes and 
down gulleys, sometimes losing sight of 
the gnu, but gaining inch by inch until 
finally the queer looking beast, seeing no 
chance to escape, and nearly exhausted, 
turned quickly with head down to attack. 
Zebie barely avoided an injury that would 
have been far more serious than that the 


44 


wart hog had given him; for the gnu 
dropped to its knees, and with horns up- 
turned, reared upward. Such an attack 
used against a less agile creature than 
Zebie would have proved fatal. Jack was 
wholly unprepared for this crisis, but he 
kept his head, and by the time the gnu had 
recovered for a second attack, he had im- 
planted the heart-shaped brand. Instantly 
the gnu was as tame as all the other 
animals had been when they felt the influ- 
ence of the magic dart. 

Jack now had an opportunity to study 
his new captive. Its appearance was even 
more ludicrous than the natives had been 
able to describe. It was no larger than 
Zebie, and had a mane, body, and tail 
like a horse. Its legs resembled a stag’s, 
while its head supported long, upturned 
horns. Around its muzzle grew long, heavy 
bristles, so thick that at first glance Jack 
thought the beast must have got into 


Two gazelles in the near-by brush leaped out just ahead of him, and Zebie dashed in pursuit 


trouble with a porcupine. He laughed 
aloud as he imagined the looks of con- 
sternation and amazement that would 
spread over the faces of the villagers at 
home when they caught sight of this queer 
creature. 

As he made his way back to the party, 
two gazelles in the near-by brush leaped 


out just ahead of him, and Zebie dashed in 
pursuit, followed by the gnu. The chase 
lasted only a few minutes, however, before 
Jack added both gazelles to his train. An 
hour or so later he came in sight of the 
natives. They were evidently waiting for 
him, for they were gathered in a group, 
part of them motioning him to hurry. 


45 


and the others looking back down the 
ravine. Jack hastened toward them. 

A cheetah, a member of the cat family, 
had been seen only a few moments before, 
they told him. It was now midday and 
very hot. It was also meal time, but with 
an animal so near them the natives were 
too excited to eat, and when Jack joined 
them they were eager to press on. 

The sweat on Zebie had dried and left 
his coat streaked with shining salt particles. 
Jack pulled some damp grass from around 
the roots of a small tree and rubbed him 
thoroughly. Then for a long time the 
party traveled on, spreading farther and 
farther apart; but not once did they sight 
the cheetah, or even find a trace of it. 

They were now some ^distance from 
camp, and evening would soon be upon 
them. The natives were almost exhausted, 
for they had had nothing to eat since early 
morning, and preparations were made to 


return. Very little was said as the party 
trudged campward. 

Toward sundown, and not far from 
the water hole, one of the natives suddenly 
stopped and raised his hand. Instantly 
every one was on the alert, but strain 
their eyes and ears as they might, nothing 
could be heard or seen. 

The natives began jeering the man who 
had given the alarm, when Jack, who was 
still gazing about intently from Zebie’s 
back, exclaimed, '‘Down! Down! Some- 
thing is coming this way!” 

Scarcely had the words been spoken 
when a gazelle dashed by them, its eyes big 
with fright, and its sides heaving. It was 
past and gone before Jack had time to 
place his arrow, but he knew from its 
actions that it was being pursued. Sure 
enough! In another instant a cheetah 
dashed into view, so intent on the chase 
that it sped by without noticing the 


46 



As Jack slipped from Zebie's back he let fly an arrow 


party. As Jack slipped from Zebie’s back 
he let fly an arrow. The animal was not 
large, and Jack missed. A murmur spread 
among the natives as they leaped from the 
ground. 

Jack swung up on Zebie and started in 
pursuit. His only thought was to keep 
the cheetah from reaching the gazelle. 


They were gaining on the cheetah, but it 
was gaining on the gazelle. Jack could 
stand it no longer. “Faster! Faster!” he 
cried, but Zebie was already exerting him- 
self to the limit. 

Jack was not careless now. He placed 
his arrow, and when sure of himself, he 
let fly with a twang. The cheetah dropped 


47 


for an instant in confusion. The little 
gazelle toppled over, exhausted, with sweat- 
ing coat and heaving sides, and Jack 
looked into its big, grateful eyes. He 
walked over and stroked the delicate little 
form and the animal made no attempt to 
escape. It seemed to realize that in Jack 
it had found a protector. 

The cheetah, he found, was a beautiful 
creature, long, lithe, and graceful, like a 
big, long-legged cat. For a short run it 
is one of the swiftest animals on earth. 
Now it was sitting up on its haunches, 


like a monkey, watching Jack and making 
a curious birdlike chirp. Jack called to 
it, and when they started away the little 
gazelle got up and followed. Jack had 
already captured two gazelles, but after 
the scene he had just witnessed he could 
not bear to leave the little fellow behind 
to fall prey to some other animal. 

Camp was not reached until long after 
sundown; but around the camp fire that 
night there was wild dancing and singing. 
Fatigue was forgotten, and great plans were 
made for the following day. 



48 


THE RHINOCEROS 


J ACK refused to think of turning back 
without adding a rhinoceros to his col- 
lection; but it was evident at the water 
hole that none had drunk at that place 
for a long time. It was therefore decided 
that they should go to the water holes 
farther north, where there was also a small 
stream at that time of year. 

By following a triangular course their 
next camp would leave them no farther 
from the main camp than they now were. 
All of the following day and a portion 
of the next were spent in reaching their 
destination. The route lay across bare 
plains, and as they proceeded they crossed 
myriads of dusty game trails, showing 
here the round hoof print of the zebra, 
there the heart-shaped print of the harte- 


beest, and every now and then the wind- 
ing, deep-trodden track made by savage 
men as they traveled from village to 
village. 

Animals like those Jack already pos- 
sessed were seen from time to time; once 
in the distance an entire herd of giraffes 
was distinguished feeding, although long 
before Jack and his guides reached them 
they had become aware of the party and 
moved on with their peculiar, rocking, 
easy looking gait, so wholly misleading 
as to their rapid pace. One noon, as the 
party sat eating their lunch, a herd of 
zebras stood near watching them curiously, 
and a little farther away, on the other 
side, a herd of hartebeests formed an 
interested ring. 


4 


49 


The stream, a mere creek, flowed from 
the near-by hills, winding about for several 
miles before it finally spread into a marsh. 
Along this stream the vegetation grew rank 
and tangled. 

“Here’s a fine place for a hippopota- 
mus,’’ thought Jack; but the natives did 
not encourage him to hunt hippopotamuses 
here. 

The party spent the afternoon in scout- 
ing about, getting acquainted with the 
country, and returned in high spirits. By 
great good fortune they had discovered a 
rhinoceros only a few miles away. To go 
after it at that time of day was impossible, 
but the following morning the first rays of 
light found the camp astir and ready. 

The few miles seemed a long distance 
that morning. Jack’s nerves began to 
tingle with excitement. “How big is a 
rhinoceros when one is near to it?’’ he 
asked himself. “As big as the one on 


50 


the circus posters?’’ He wondered if the 
heart brand would have any effect on 
such a monster. 

The party had now reached the place 
where the rhinoceros had been found. 
They scanned the country near and far. 
No rhinoceros was there! Although they 
saw plenty of evidence that the beast had 
been there, at some time during the night 
he had moved on, in what direction it was 
hard to say. 

Jack bravely swallowed his disappoint- 
ment, and ordered the natives to spread out 
and push on. This they did, sweeping the 
country for miles; but it was hours before 
one of the savages finally came rushing up 
to Jack to say the animal had been dis- 
covered. 

Following his guide, it was not long 
before Jack saw the rhino standing in the 
open plain near some scattered trees, on 
the twigs and leaves of which he had 



Jack saw the rhino standing in the open plain near some scattered trees 51 


% 


evidently been feeding. His hide looked 
black in the sunlight, and although his 
body was nearly as large as an ele- 
phant’s, his short legs made him appear 
much smaller. 

The natives were not inclined to venture 
near the rhinoceros, holding back a quar- 
ter of a mile or more, and refusing to 
engage in the chase. It was well for 
them that they were cautious, for the 
beast had a surly temper, and the light 
spears and bows and arrows they carried 
would have been of little use in defend- 
ing them against him. His thick, horny 
hide was a veritable armor. When within 
two hundred yards of the rhinoceros. Jack 
slipped off from Zebie’s back, and, keeping 
under cover of the trees, cautiously advanced, 
bow and arrow in hand. 

Like all rhinos this beast was dull of 
hearing and of wit, and the trees success- 
fully screened Jack from his little pig-like 


eyes. He looked so stupidly sluggish, his 
capture seemed but a matter of walking 
up, releasing the arrow, and leading him 
back to camp. 

Suddenly, however, something attracted 
his attention, and he turned and faced 
Jack, huge and threatening. His head was 
thrown up and his tail stood erect! Jack 
let the arrow fly — and missed! But for 
all his great size, the rhinoceros was not 
courageous, and instead of charging, he 
turned and galloped off — galloped with a 
swiftness Jack had not dreamed of. Jack 
ran back to Zebie, mounted, and for a 
mile or two they raced, with Zebie always 
some distance behind. The rhino led the 
way into a piece of low, marshy ground 
surrounding a pool, where he disappeared 
among the crashing reeds and bushes, 
evidently feeling safe from his pursuers. 

Jack wasted another arrow trying to 
reach him, but the thicket was too dense, 


52 



The rhino led the way into a piece of low, marshy ground surrounding a pool 


and the soft, marshy ground made it dan- 
gerous for Zebie to follow. In addition 
there was the danger of poisonous snakes. 

Jack could afford to take no chances 
with this animal, and had to change his 
tactics in an endeavor to draw him back 
to solid ground. They circled the marsh 


several times, and then Jack again dis- 
mounted and crept carefully through the 
grass. Almost at once there was a furious 
snorting and crashing, and the rhino burst 
through the thorn bushes, tossing and 
twisting his head. Fortunately he had failed 
to locate his enemy, and as Jack dashed 


53 



Ajter looking at his tormentors for a moment, the rhinoceros charged them once more 


away and mounted Zebie again, the rhino 
wheeled round into the thicket. 

Once more Jack tried to enter, but the 
rhinoceros, with water splashing in every 
direction, charged at him so quickly the 
long, sharp horn nearly caught him. The 
splashing spray made a shot uncertain. 


Dangerous as it was. Jack saw that this 
was the only means of drawing the animal 
from cover. Again and again he pushed 
into the marsh and then made his escape 
before the enraged animal, but each time 
the massive beast rushed back before Jack 
dared risk a shot. The natives, far in the 


54 


rear, were raising a great commotion with 
their yelling and excited howls, but each 
time the animal plunged out of the marsh 
they took to their heels in flight. 

At last the rhinoceros could stand it no 
longer. After looking at his tormentors 
for a moment as they stood on the edge of 
the marsh, he charged them once more, 
this time dashing up on to solid ground, 
just where Jack wanted him; and in a 



55 


moment the red heart blazed on his thick, 
dark hide. 

The natives now swarmed in noisily and 
began fighting good naturedly for a seat on 
the rhinoceros. All the way back to camp 
there was a continual pushing and jostling 
for a ride; and the now docile beast, either 
annoyed or with an instinct for mischief, 
would rub along the trunks of occasional 
trees, and send them all flying. 


THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 


J ACK now made inquiries regarding the 
hippopotamus. Many miles north, he 
learned, the jungle grew so dense as to be 
almost impenetrable. This was the favor- 
ite home of the hippopotamus, who lived 
in the rivers and lakes. Other animals 
were so numerous one could hardly sleep 
for the roars and screams of wild beasts, the 
natives said. But Jack accepted this infor- 
mation with amusement, for the natives 
molded all their stories with a view to mak- 
ing the deepest possible impression. 

Nevertheless, he sent messengers to the 
central camp, and a few days later the 
remainder of the party, with the baggage 
and the queer company of animals, arrived. 
Then began the long trip to the jungle. It 
was a strange procession that thus wound 


through the forest. Every animal that was 
large enough had its rider. There were 
natives on the giraffe, on the gnu, on the 
lion, and on each of the other menagerie 
recruits, riding alone or in twos and threes; 
but so many climbed up on the rhinoceros 
that this great beast looked like a sort of 
jungle omnibus! This was certainly going 
to be the most astonishing circus the town 
had ever seen! 

No new animals were seen except a 
beautiful antelope with enormous spiral 
horns, which was taken after a short chase. 
The natives called it a koodoo. 

As the miles passed, travel became more 
difficult. Vegetation grew more dense and 
rank. Vines twisted about everything, 
their long, curling tendrils entangling the 


56 



It was a strange procession that wound through the forest 


travelers both underfoot and overhead. 
Often the rhinoceros had to push ahead to 
make a pathway for the smaller animals, 
and long detours were made to avoid large 
tracts of marsh. 

Snakes were numerous. One day the 

I 


natives came crowding back in great ex- 
citement to tell Jack they had seen a huge 
python. They soon guided him to where 
it hung coiled loosely in a tree, waiting 
patiently for monkeys or any other prey 
that might come within range. The snake’s 


57 


surroundings and natural coloring made it 
almost invisible. As Jack shot his magic 
dart the python lashed out at him with 
open jaws, and then as the little crimson 
heart appeared, uncoiled and came gliding 
through the grass toward him. Jack felt 
that he was fortunate in getting the huge 
reptile, but the. natives, even though they 
were now confident of the taming power of 
Jack’s magic arrows, were not altogether 
pleased to add the python as a traveling 
companion. They kept a respectful dis- 
tance whenever they saw his great length 
following along behind Zebie, and were 
quick to turn and run if they came upon 
him anywhere by accident. 

A number of monkeys had already been 
added to the group, and these active little 
beasts not only amused the entire party, 
but proved useful in gathering fruits and 
nuts. 

The ants and mosquitoes that swarmed 


58 


in the jungle were always extremely trouble- 
some. Even the smoke of the camp fires 
seemed to have no effect upon them. 
Leopards were numerous, and, as the natives 
had said, their piercing screams ringing 
out on the midnight air, mingled with the 
roars of the lions and the strange cries 
of many other jungle animals, made it 
indeed difficult to sleep. 

Jack had long since ceased to be afraid, 
and he never tired of listening to these 
sounds that were so different from those 
he had always heard at home. Often at 
night he would waken with a feeling that 
he was being watched, and gazing out into 
the darkness, he would catch the gleam 
of some beast’s eyes as it lurked about 
the camp, drawn thither by the smell of the 
animals, but not daring to attack. 

Once he aimed between two of the spots 
of green and secured a fine lioness; but 
after that he paid little attention, feeling 



As Jack shot his magic dart the python lashed out at him with open jaws 


59 



sure he must have an animal of the same through the dark shadows of the jungle, 
kind in his collection. there was a terrified scream, and the native 

One day as they broke their way who had been farthest ahead came tearing 

and stumbling back. Close on his heels 
lurched a huge, upright form which made 
Jack shudder as a ray of light showed its 
hideous ape-like body and cruel, monster 
face. 

“Gorilla,” flashed into Jack’s mind. 
The natives set up a terror-stricken 
yell. The beast, surprised for a moment, 
hesitated; then he stood still and began 


60 


beating his massive chest with his huge fist 
until it sounded like a kettledrum. His 
roars shook the forest, and his big, white 
teeth fairly gleamed. For the first time, 
the natives deserted their little leader, tak- 
ing to their heels and scattering in every 
direction. Before he could grasp what had 
happened. Jack was left alone face to face 
with the infuriated monster. 

The beast, still beating his chest and 
gnashing his teeth, made rapidly toward 
Jack. Trembling with excitement, and 
somewhat unnerved by his companions’ 
hasty retreat. Jack shot his arrow. But the 
gorilla still came on — and Jack’s heart sank. 
He had missed! He dared not move. To 
turn and run would make death certain. 
Behind, as in a dream, he could hear the 
shouts of the natives. The gorilla was now 
upon him. He could feel its hot breath, 
and expected to be crushed the next instant. 
In desperation he raised an arrow and 


61 


plunged it into the shoulder of the beast. 
A tremendous shout arose. Jack drew back 
and looked into the face of what was now 
the only tame gorilla in the world. 

The natives came swarming out from 
their hiding places, but though they were 
fully aware of the influence of the dart, it 
was some time before they felt entirely safe 
in the presence of this ugly creature. In- 
deed, the animal possessed a peculiar qual- 
ity so nearly human that the natives never 
became accustomed to it. The gorilla and 
the python had to keep each other company. 

They followed the course of the stream 
another day, and at evening camped near 
the water hole for which the natives had 
been aiming. All that night they could 
hear the hippos splashing, snorting, and 
grunting in the river. Once a lion roared, 
and later they were awakened by the sudden 
trumpeting of elephants. 

At sunrise next morning Jack started 



out for the water hole, certain of success. 
The steep bank was covered with dense 
trees, festooned with vines. Heron sat 
among the branches, and bright-feathered 
birds flew among the trees. A crocodile 
floated on the water among the lily pads, 
and off to one side of the pool, luckily 
enough, there was a herd of hippopota- 
muses. The big fellows gamboled about, 
in and out of the water, in an awkward 


yet most amusing manner, much the same 
as pigs are wont to do. Some were grazing 
on the thick, juicy vegetation that grew 
along the river’s bank, while others stood 
sunning themselves on the shore, with their 
heads in the mud, or their big bodies half 
submerged in the water. 

When Jack and the natives appeared, 
the big beasts snorted and made for the 
deeper water. Some disappeared entirely 


62 


beneath the surface, and by the twisting 
of the lily pads were evidently galloping 
along the bottom of the stream. One old 
cow started swimming down the river, 
carrying her calf on her back. For a few 
moments Jack made no effort to capture 
any of them, and they soon became quiet, 
one by one coming to the surface, near by. 
Even then only their eyes and nostrils 
could be seen, and they came up so quietly 
they caused scarcely a ripple in the water. 

Jack stood for a long time watching 
them. They now paid little attention to 
the party, and some of the natives ap- 
proached quite close to them. Though the 
hippopotamuses were big and clumsy, like 



the rhinoceros, they showed none of his 
fury or fighting spirit. 

It was so easy to capture these big, 
cumbersome animals that Jack was tempted 
to take a number of them, but at last he 
chose an enormous fellow, who, more 
venturesome than the others, pulled him- 
self out of the water and began feeding on 
the soft, juicy stalks that lined the river. 
For a while Jack watched him opening 
and closing his tremendous jaws, and then 
sent the little arrow into his great fore- 
head. The heart appeared on his hide, and 
he trailed into camp behind the party as 
calmly as one of Mr. Rich’s cows on her 
way home from pasture in the evening. 


AN ELEPHANT HUNT 


IV TO menagerie would be complete with- 
^ out an elephant or two, and Jack had 
been restlessly waiting for a chance to hunt 
them ever since he had been in Jungleland. 
For nearly a week the party had been in 
a continual state of suspense. Again and 
again they had come across areas where the 
vines were torn, the bushes trampled and 
mashed, and young saplings and tender 
shoots uprooted and broken. These evi- 
dences, as well as great footprints, showed 
plainly that the hunters had crossed and 
recrossed the trail of a herd of elephants, 
but the natives declared the tracks were 
old, several days old at least. This news 
was discouraging, for Jack knew that the 
elephant is capable of traveling long dis- 
tances, and the herd might be miles away 


by that time. To come repeatedly on 
proof that the monstrous creatures had 
been there before him, and yet not be able 
even to gain sight of them, put his nerves 
on high tension. 

However, since the herd had been 
seen in the neighborhood, and might still 
be in the vicinity. Jack decided to try to 
find it. It was of course impossible to 
take the great train of animals he had 
now collected on such an expedition, not 
only because the profuse vegetation would 
make travel slow, but because the noise 
they made would frighten the elephants 
long before the party was anywhere near 
them. The elephant, like the rhinoceros, 
has poor eyesight, but its senses of hearing 
and of smell are unusually keen. 


64 


A convenient camp was therefore es- 
tablished, and as the freshest of the trails 
seemed to lead farther on into the foot- 
hills, the hunt- 
ing party took 
that direction, 
determined to 
locate their 
game. Day 
after day they 
scoured the for- 
est but without 
success. So 
dense was the 
jungle growth 
that scarcely a 
ray of sunlight 
penetrated it; 

only here and Great footprints showed that the hunters had 

there the somberness was relieved by bril- 
liant flowers, or by the bright plumage of 
some tropical bird. Now and then a troupe 
5 ^65 



of monkeys went swinging and chattering 
away through the trees. 

It had been out of the question to 
think of tak- 
ing any of the 
animalsexcept 
Z e b i e into 
such a wilder- 
ness, and even 
on foot the 
little party 
had to keep 
to the path 
the elephants 
had made in 
order to stand 
any chance 
of. overtaking 

crossed the trail of a herd of elephants their QUarry 

The course they were following was tedious, 
and both Jack and the black men were in 
despair when on the morning of the third 


day a freshening of the trail again buoyed 
up their spirits. 

Two of the natives who had been 
ahead of the party came running back, 
wild with excitement. “Come! Hurry!” 
they urged. Jack followed on their heels 
as they plunged ahead, and they soon 
stopped, pointing to a great number of 
footprints and freshly trodden bushes. 

“We catch ’em now,” they declared, 
and danced about, fully as excited as 
Jack himself. 

The other natives had now reached 
the spot, and after a short parley they 
all hastened forward. The new trail led 
them along a course where after a time 
the ground became unusually soft. The 
separate footprints were often more than 
a foot deep and from time to time the 
natives stooped to examine them closely. 
This aroused Jack’s curiosity, and in reply 
to his questions the natives showed him 


that the water which partly filled the 
tracks was muddy, and that more was 
oozing in. Had the prints been older, 
they said, the water would have settled 
and become clear, as well as filling the 
track entirely. They might come upon 
the elephants at any time. 

‘ Scarcely a word was spoken as they 
hurried along the trail. Up hill and down 
they went, often coming within sound of 
the elephants, but each time the herd 
either caught their scent or heard them, 
and were off before the party caught 
sight of them. As often as they could 
they stepped into the huge prints left by 
the elephants, for in them there was less 
danger of treading on a stick that would 
crack and alarm the herd. 

Finally a sound reached the sensitive 
ears of the natives. It was the noise of 
breaking branches — not of one, but of 
many. Ahead through the twilight of the 


66 






r f/1 
/ . 






SBCSy f 

■UUiJH |S\ 


Jack rushed up on Zebie and planted an arrow in the elephant's side 


67 




forest, Jack could see the bright sunlight 
as it beat down into a clearing, and 
creeping cautiously, he found himself look- 
ing into a wide, open space. The search 
was ended. Across the area, a hundred 
yards away. Jack saw the elephants — his 
elephants! There were more than a dozen 
of them, some standing asleep and others 
busily breaking and uprooting small sap- 
lings, which they chewed until they had 
extracted the sap, expelling the well-ground 
pulp. Fortunately, this time Jack and his 
party were to windward, and the elephants 
did not suspect their presence. 

No one who has never seen the elephant 
in its natural haunt can realize the thrill 
that went pulsing through Jack as he 
stared at the great, wrinkled, slate-colored 
creatures, with their huge tusks and writh- 
ing trunks. For the first time he was 
conscious of their great strength. The 
sight held him spellbound. 


68 


Suddenly, as he stood gazing at the 
great beasts, he heard a crashing of branches 
and witnessed a strange sight. A small, 
lithe creature, a kind of antelope, rushed 
out of the thicket past the elephants and 
dashed again into the forest. Behind it 
came, a black panther, a species seldom 
seen, which, when it reached the clearing, 
stopped short, paused for a moment, and 
dashed by a circuitous route through the 
forest after its prey. 

The elephants, frightened by the sudden 
disturbance, stood rolling back and forth, 
their heads held high in the air and their 
huge, fan-like ears waving like sails. It 
was some time before they quieted down 
and again began feeding, but until then 
the natives would not go near them. An 
excited elephant is a dangerous foe. 

A few moments now, and Jack and 
his party would be close in on the herd. 
But fortune was against them. Jack was 


> • 



Across the area, Jack saw the elephants — his elephants! 


just about to release his dart when a 
change in the wind warned the elephants 
of their presence, and with ears flapping 
wildly, they set off. Jack immediately 
gave chase, thinking to shoot at them 
again before they were out of range, when 
one of the animals in the rear, a cow whose calf 
was having difficulty in keeping pace with the 
others, turned and charged furiously. 

The suddenness of the attack so confused 
Jack that he barely evaded the maddened onrush. 
The natives, who had followed, fled in terror. 
The elephant’s attention being directed toward 
them, she came charging ahead into their midst, 
coiled her trunk about one of them, and, raising 
him high in the air, was about to fling him to 
the ground. But Jack, who had now recovered 
from the previous charge, rushed up on Zebie and 
planted an arrow in her side. He was none too 
soon. The red heart appeared on her hide, and the 
great beast instantly became calm. She lowered 
the trembling African to the ground. He was 
69 


somewhat shaken up by the experience but 
otherwise unhurt. 

The capture of the young elephant 
was an easy matter. 

By this time the rest of the herd had 
disappeared in the jungle. Jack would 
have followed them, but the natives pro- 
tested. It would be folly, they said, to 
give chase when the animals were so 
excited, for they were extremely dangerous 
when angered. They suggested keeping 
the trail until the following day, when 
the elephants would be calm again, and 
more easily taken. Jack saw reason in 
their argument, and decided to follow 
their advice. 

All that afternoon and well into the 
next day they followed the trail. The 
new captives, especially the baby elephant, 
furnished them with unending amusement. 
Once the little fellow entered a pool, and 
filling his trunk with water, drenched 


every one who came near, including his 
own mother. Then she too filled her 
trunk with water, and so nearly drowned 
her small son that he was glad to come 
splashing out, trumpeting for mercy! 

Late in the afternoon they were lucky 
enough to come upon the herd again, but 
a sudden change in the wind warned the 
elephants of their presence almost at once. 
The huge creatures turned and crashed 
through the trees, the big bull traveling 
behind his companions as a sort of rear 
guard. This time the party was very 
close, and finally the bull turned and 
made a stand, his long ears waving, and 
his small, pig-like eyes gleaming menac- 
ingly. For an instant his pursuers 
stopped, not knowing what to expect; 
and the time thus gained gave the other 
elephants a still greater lead. It was 
one of the strategies of the old bull, and 
he worked it a number of times, each 


70 



time turning after 
a threatening stand 
and rushing after 
the herd. 

But the fourth 
time he charged, 
Jack took little heed of his trumpeted warn- 
ings, and met his enemy face to face. The 
creature’s enormous bulk came towering 
over him until it looked as though in 
another instant the huge tusk or the 
coiling trunk would raise him to his death. 
But in that instant the heart flew to its 
mark, and Jack had added another elephant 
to his menagerie. As the scarlet brand 
appeared, he left the elephants in the 
care of the natives, and rushed on after 
the other members of the herd. 

Their guard and protector gone, the 
herd had broken into a panic, and their 
capture proved but a matter of hunting 
them down and branding each with the 


enemy face to face 


71 


magic dart. Within an hour Jack had 
added five of them to the cavalcade, 
and was willing to allow the others to 
escape. None of the other animals he 
had taken had given him so much real 
pleasure as had these elephants, and he 


felt very proud when a short time later 
the natives surrounded him, grinning and 
shouting and dancing about in admiration 
and delight. And well they might! The 
animals were among the finest specimens 
of their kind. 




72 


THE MENAGERIE AT HOME 


T ONG after every one was asleep that 
night, Jack sat thinking by the camp 
fire. In his collection were nearly all the 
important animals of Africa — and now that 
he had them, how was he going to get 
them home? This question puzzled him 
deeply. He knew that Zebie could take 
him home alone, but as he looked at his 
other animals, he dismissed that thought 
entirely. He could not, he would not go 
back without them! And, too, even in 
these few short weeks he had become much 
attached to the simple, honest natives 
who had risked so much and aided him 
so faithfully. He would have to part 
from them also. The whole adventure 
threatened to be spoiled. He was almost 
in despair. 


“If the beautiful fairy were only here,” 
he wished, half aloud. 

“What is it. Jack?” asked a soft, low 
voice behind him. Jack turned about in 
amazement, for behold! the fairy had ap- 
peared. 

“I — I — I don’t know how to get my 
animals home,” faltered Jack, in his sur- 
prise at seeing the fairy again. 

The fairy only laughed softly, saying, 
“That’s very easy; just close your eyes,” 
and she placed her finger tip lightly on 
his eyelids and waved her wand. 

And then a wonderful thing happened. 
For when Jack opened his eyes the fairy 
was gone; the jungle was gone; the natives 
were gone; but Zebie was still there, and 
so were the elephants, the giraffe, the big 


73 


fat hippo, and all the rest. Around them 
on every side were the familiar places 
which Jack had always seen — Hiram Rich’s 
big white house, the blacksmith’s shop, the 
town pump, and his own little home down 
the street. By the first rays of the morn- 
ing sun he could see, across the way, the 
weather-beaten posters that had so thrilled 
him such a short time ago. He looked 
with satisfaction from the brilliant, gaudy 
colorings on the billboard to the soft, rich 
coloring of the giraffe, the leopard, and 
the antelopes. He wondered what the 
people would say when they awakened 
and saw so many wild beasts loose in the 
public square. 

Presently a dog appeared and began 
to bark furiously. An answering bark 
echoed, and still another. Soon the village 
seemed full of noisy, yelping dogs, which 
created such a disturbance that the towns- 
people were aroused and came pouring 


out of their houses to see what the trouble 
was all about. 

Daddy Brown, the blacksmith, who 
lived across the way next to his shop, 
was the first to appear. He stuck his head 
out of a window, and the sight that met 
his eyes made him draw back in astonish- 
ment. 

“Well! ’pon my word!’’ he exclaimed. 
“Another circus come to town — an’ — an’ 
if there ain’t Jack Jingling!” 

A moment later he came out. In a 
surprisingly short time almost the entire 
village were standing about the public 
square — at a safe distance — plying Jack 
with questions. 

“Where have you been. Jack?” 

“Where did you get the animals?” 

“Are they tame?” 

“Will they bite?” 

“Oh, look at the pretty giraffe!” 

“Lookie at the elephants!” 


74 



"But they are my animals, and I won't let them hurt anybody” 


“What is that funny looking horse?” 
“Gee, man, see that snake!” 

“Um-m, them circus lions weren’t near 
so big as these, were they. Pa?” 

Jack heard but a few of these exclama- 
tions and questions, for in the crowd he 


had caught sight of his mother and father, 
and had run over to them. They were 
as astonished as every one else, and asked 
him a dozen questions in one breath, but 
he steadfastly refused to tell them where 
he had been or how he had got the animals. 


75 


He knew well that his experiences were 
past human belief. 

Presently Hiram Rich, more crusty than 
ever because his morning sleep had been 
disturbed, broke in on the group. 

''Here! Here! What’s this? What 
does all this mean?” he demanded of Jack. 
'' What do you mean by running away and 
leaving me no one to take care of my cow? 
And how dare you bring these dangerous 
animals here into the midst of us, risking 
our lives and property? This will never 
do! This will never do!” he shouted. 

" But they are my animals, and I won’t 
let them hurt anybody,” declared Jack. 

''You! You! What can you do?” de- 
manded Rich. ''Take them away! Get 
them out of here! Come, constable! The 
square is public property, and as a citizen 
I demand that you remove and take charge 
of these animals.” 

The people, awed by this outburst. 


stood silent. Jack ran to his animals. 
''No, you shan’t take them away!” he 
shouted. His feelings were hurt, and he 
was angry. 

'' Do your duty, constable,” ordered 
Mr. Rich. 

The officer, with trembling knees, biit 
not wishing to appear cowardly before his 
townsmen, started forward, gathering cour- 
age with each step as he saw how quietly 
the animals stood around Jack. He did n’t 
know exactly how to take charge of the 
animals, but he felt bound to make the 
attempt. 

The crowd cheered him on. 

''Don’t you dare take my animals!” 
cried Jack, and as he spoke the lion gave 
such a roar that it shook the entire vil- 
lage. The constable took to his heels; Mr. 
Rich took to his heels; mothers and fathers 
grabbed their children by their arms and 
fled! Jack looked at them in surprise for a 


76 



moment, and then laughed heartily. He 
had become so used to the noises of the 
jungle he had forgotten for a moment how 
terrifying they were to unfamiliar ears. 

Mr. Rich, fearing his legs could not 
carry him fast enough, ran for the flag pole 
and made a ludicrous effort to climb up. 
Jack watched him scrambling and slipping, 
and then walked quietly over to the foot of 
the pole, followed by the animals. Each 
time Mr. Rich looked around and saw the 
beasts coming, he redoubled his efforts. 
He was a much-frightened man. 


77 


“ Take them away, take them away,” 
he yelled at the top of his voice. 

An elephant coiled his trunk around 
the pole just beneath Mr. Rich’s feet, and 
shook it until poor Mr. Rich thought it 
would snap in two. He was frantic with 
fear. 

While he shouted for mercy, a sudden 
impulse seized Jack. The animals sur- 
rounded him on every side. The villagers, 
hiding in their houses and behind barns, 
were unable to see him. So Jack deliber- 
ately took an arrow from his quiver, placed 
it carefully against the bow string, and 
shot Mr. Rich! 

The effect was instantaneous. The old 
man slid down the pole and looked about 
with a strange expression. He had been so 
frightened he had failed to notice the touch 
of the heart-tipped shaft on his arm, and 
even now failed to understand the unac- 
customed feeling that had come over him; 


for the dart had changed him from an 
irritable, stingy-hearted old tyrant to a 
kind and generous man. 

“Jack, my boy,” said he, wiping his 
brow, “ you know I did n’t mean what I 
said a while ago. I guess I ’m just a dis- 
agreeable old man. I don’t believe these 
animals are one bit dangerous,” he added. 

“No,” said Jack, “they wouldn’t hurt 
anybody. You won’t let them take my 
animals away, will you, Mr. Rich?” he 
asked. 

“No, sir,” replied Mr. Rich. “Not 
while my name is Hiram Rich.” 

And then he scratched his head medi- 
tatively. “I don’t know where you got 
them, or how they came here, but tell 
me. Jack, what do you intend to do with 
all these beasts?” 

“I — I — want a circus,” Jack blurted out. 

“A circus!” exclaimed Mr. Rich. 

“Yes,” said Jack, “a circus, a big circus 


78 


with wonderful performing animals— all “You shall have it! You shall have 

the animals in the world — lions, and tigers, it!” burst out Mr. Rich, "And I’ll heli> 
and elephants, and everything, and — and yout And we ’ll have a great big tent, and 



"We’ll get together the finest circus that ever was — Jack Jingling’ s Mammoth Menagerie!" 


all the children everywhere could walk big red wagons decorated with gold, — ” 
right in the big tent without having to “And flags!" interrupted Jack, 

have any ticket or anything!" “And flags!" echoed Mr. Rich. 


79 


“What ye goin’ to do with them ani- 
mals?” shouted a feeble voice from a 
second-story window. 

“These animals belong to Jack Jing- 
ling, and you don’t need to bother your 
head about them,” retorted Mr. Rich. 

“Come, Jack, you bring them over to 
my place. There ’s lot of room — more 
barn space, too, than I need. Don’t know 
what I want with such a big place, any- 
way,” said Mr. Rich. “We ’ll get together 
the finest circus that ever was,” he went 


on. “Jack Jingling’s Mammoth Menagerie! 
The world’s greatest exhibition of trained 
animals! Free admission to boys and 
girls! Why, Jack, I feel like a boy again 
myself!” 

When they had turned the animals 
into the big, grassy pasture behind the big 
white house, and Jack was leaving to go 
home, Mr. Rich called him back. 

“Here’s something that belongs to 
you,” he said, and slipped into Jack’s 
hand a bright, shining half dollar. 



80 














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